Mad.Agaskar by Mad.bike
Video diary by Severi from our epic adventure ride on the island of Madagascar
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Roads of Rice and Rain: Luzon, the Philippines
A Philippine Adventure
After my solo tour in Sumatra, Flying from Medan in Sumatra to Angeles City in the Philippines, just north of Manila, marked the start of my next adventure.
Angeles is where I’d be meeting up with my riding buddies for our Luzon loop. The plan was simple: rent bikes in Angeles and tour mainly the northern parts of Luzon. My mates would arrive in a week, but I wanted to inspect the bikes beforehand and make sure everything was dialled in.
Why start from Angeles and not Manila?
Pure practicality. Manila traffic is the kind that turns grown riders into broken men. Getting out of downtown Manila can take most of the day. By starting from Angeles, we save a full day on each end and get to the open roads, mountains, and coastline much faster.
For central and northern Luzon, it is convenient to fly to the Clark International Airport, just outside Angeles. The airport was once the giant U.S. Clark Air Base until its closure in 1991. Today it’s a freeport zone dotted with casinos and commercial areas.
Not that I needed any of the casinos, it was much more fun to stay in Angeles City and to explore the walking street and local (night)life. Enough to make one dizzy and not for the narrow-minded, if you catch my drift.
Before the team arrived, I also wanted to check out some island life and world-famous beaches. The hotel travel desk arranged a last-minute trip to Boracay, and the two ladies running the desk were so determined to send me there that resistance would have been pointless. It turned out to be a great way to burn the week before the others arrived – soaking in the sun and sea.
Overview
Continue reading Roads of Rice and Rain: Luzon, the Philippines
Riding Sumatra, Indonesia: Medan to Lake Toba
First Impressions of Sumatra and Medan
Flying into Medan with AirAsia was already an experience in itself. Even though I’ve flown with the same airline before, the routines now felt completely different. At the check-in counter, the scene was chaotic—people carrying more hand luggage than I thought possible, cramming bags and suitcases into the cabin while the plane was already full. Unlike most airlines today where you’re expected to pay with a credit card, on this particular route, onboard AirAsia only accepted cash—and only banknotes.
Medan
Arriving in Medan, the traffic was overwhelming. I’ve ridden in many Asian cities before, but this was on again different. Cars, trucks, and motorbikes flow together in every direction, seemingly without rules. Still, what stood out most wasn’t just the chaos, but the atmosphere.
To get to my hotel, I took a taxi from one of the many providers at the airport. Everything is negotiable and I got a good price from a young lady providing that I gave her a lift in the car, as her shift was just ending. Well, why not!
Indonesia is a Muslim-majority country, but the vibe is very different compared to Pakistan, for example. Here, women ride scooters confidently, wearing colorful headscarves, laughing, and chatting as they pass by. Families pile onto motorbikes—sometimes five people on a single scooter—while cars squeeze into parking lots with the help of whistle-blowing attendants guiding them to a free spot.
When I checked into my hotel, asked for a room with a window, and was warned about noise. I didn’t think much of it until the night came. Outside, whistles, horns, shouting, and engines blended into a constant roar. But instead of being annoying, it felt like part of the adventure—Medan’s soundtrack.
Getting on Two Wheels
The next morning, I picked up my ride—a brand-new Honda 160cc scooter, equipped with start-stop technology and ready for the road.
The guys at the rental shop were very friendly and curious about my trip. We chatted about Someday.bike, shared some stickers, and admired my Sumatra motorcycle shirt, one of which I left with them. Everything looked good for the journey ahead.
Leaving Medan, however, was brutal. It took nearly 90 minutes of battling through chaotic traffic before the city suddenly gave way to palm trees and jungle. The further I rode, the more the scenery shifted—lush greenery, village roads, and glimpses of rural Sumatra. Continue reading Riding Sumatra, Indonesia: Medan to Lake Toba
Tour of Northern Madagascar in Seven Minutes
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Sumatra, Indonesia
Join my ride on a Video Tour in Sumatra, Northern Indonesia!
Some spare time in my hands and the leisurely reading of the morning paper at home resulted in a tour of Sumatra.
Orangutans
I was particularly keen to see the Orangutans in the wild after seeing the mountain gorillas in Uganda some time ago.
The largest-known eruption on earth in the last 25 million years!!
Another must-see was Lake Toba, occupying the caldera of the Toba supervolcano. Lake Toba is the largest volcanic lake in the world and it is a result of the volcanic eruption some 75000 years ago, which is also the largest-known eruption on earth in the last 25 million years!!
The lake is 100 km long and 30 km wide, with Samosir Island in the middle of the lake.
So, time to do swimming in a lake on an island in a lake on an island in the ocean…
Up Lysebotn Road
Ride up the Lysebotn road from the fjord to the Kjerag Cafe & Restaurant